When I first started my blog, I took 100% of my pictures on my iPhone 6. It worked great when the lighting outside was perfect, for sunset shots, and quick snaps when I was on the go. But, as I started focusing my energy into building my Instagram and blog, I realized that my iPhone simply wasn’t good enough for the quality images I was trying to create and capture. I did quite a bit of research before I decided to splurge and purchase my first digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR, as it’s commonly known). A DSLR is a step up from a regular point and shoot digital camera, and in my experience so far, it is 100% worth the money if you are passionate about photography. Photography and capturing the magic around me has become my favorite hobby, and the great thing about it was that this was almost a ONE TIME purchase (well, unless you want to keep buying new lenses and gadgets), compared to a hobby that you need to continually fund.

One of the questions I get asked frequently is what type of camera and lenses I use. I wanted to share with my readers the details of the camera I own and which lens I use for which type of shot in a short, sweet, and to-the-point post. You probably know by now that I love diving deep into the details of things, but I want this to be an easy-to-read guide for anyone interested in purchasing their first non-point and shoot camera.

When I was finally ready to pull the plug and purchase my first DSLR, I was living in Hollywood at the time. I looked up camera stores nearby and Simon’s Camera had the best Yelp reviews by far. I stopped by one Saturday afternoon and was happy to find parking right out front of the store. The store attendees were incredibly helpful and answered my (many) questions about the pieces equipment I was about to splurge on. They are in no way paying me or sponsoring me to say this, but I would definitely recommend them...especially for photography newbies like myself!​Simon’s Camera in Hollywood

Price: It is currently on Amazon for $749, almost $200 less than I paid for it in store.

Features I love:1) Obviously, the quality. This is my first DSLR and I am head over heels in love with it. It not only captures the beauty of almost exactly what you are seeing with your eye, but it does it with such clarity and crispness that you will wonder why you didn’t invest in this sooner. You can have the most incredible eye when it comes to photography, but you may feel limited if your equipment cannot capture images of high quality. Although it’s not the lightest camera on the market, it is worth the sometimes-hassle of bringing this around town. I like using the neck strap it came with because it feels safe around my neck and it’s easy to grab if I see something that catches my eye. 2)Built in wifi. You do not need an external wifi connection to connect the camera to your phone. Simply install the Canon Connect app for free in the App store and you can send images directly from your camera right to your phone post posting, sharing, texting, etc! This is probably my favorite feature. 3) Easy(ish) to learn how to use. I’m still learning new things every day (and yep...still using the Auto setting most of the time!) about photography, but this is a great starter camera. I teach myself from doing research on Google, YouTube, asking friends who have the same camera (Thank you Michael @10_oz_!) , etc. The information is out there if you're willing to find it! ​Pro tip: You can find earlier versions of this camera for a much cheaper price on Amazon, if this is outside of your budget. It probably won’t have built in wifi like the T6i has, but it will still produce higher quality shots than a phone or point and shoot digital camera.

What Lens: Canon 18-55mm

Wait...What does this even mean? According to ExpertPhotographer.com, "This refers to the focal length of your lens. 18mm is wide angle, and 55mm is more zoomed. When you zoom your lens in, you're zooming between 18mm and55mm. The 'mm' stands for millimeter, and this is the distance between your camera's sensor, and the point of convergence in the lens."

Cost: Comes with the camera body!

When to Use: This lens is all you need to get rollin'! My first outing with this camera was to photograph the Urban Lights at LACMA, and I was immediately amazed at the quality and clarity of the pictures it could capture...especially since I was so used to using my handy iPhone. I remembering saying out loud, "OH MY GOSH, THESE SHOTS ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!" #Amazed. You can zoom in or out depending on what you are trying to capture. Overall, this is a great lens to get started with, especially for these type of shots:

When to Use: This lens produces colorful and crisp images with incredible detail. This is my go-to lens for any outfit/fashion pictures that I want to create because of it's bokeh effect, or ability to focus on a person/item in pristine detail and blur everything else in the background. I also like this lens because it's smaller and much lighter than the other two lenses I own. The lens does not have the ability to zoom in and out, so the photographer will need to stand a pretty good distance away from the object they are trying to capture. It's great for every day/street photography or also to capture portraits, head shots, and much more.

In particular, you will be able to use this lens for:

Capturing detail from far away

Portraits or fashion photography

Any shot where you want a specific item/individual to be in focus with the background blurred, or in photography lingo, bokeh (definition: the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, especially as rendered by a particular lens)

Examples of pictures taken with this lens:

*This is my most favorite lens that I love more than just about anything I own!*

When to Use: You can pretty much use this lens for most shots you'll want to capture, but this lens is particularly outstanding for wide angle shots. These could include interiors of beautiful buildings, city scapes, skylines, gorgeous landscapes - or really any pictures where you want to get A LOT in one frame. I bring this lens with me more frequently than any other lens that I own, and some of my favorite shots are the ones captured with this lens.​In particular, you should use this lens for:

Landscape photography

Interior design/architecture shots

"Follow me to" shots, like the one below of me at the Korean Bell of Friendship

Great article! As a professional, I really agree on using DSLR for Instagram business page. Canon and Sony are great option for travel photographer as both are compact and light weighted. Here some resources I found out on Travel photography:

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BLOGGING 101: TIPS & TRICKS

Here you will find blog posts containing answers to some FAQ's I've been asked regarding social media marketing, blogging, photography, content creation, and more. We're all in this together, and if you have any questions regarding social media marketing or building a blog, please contact me at jordan_blogger@yahoo.com.